Reel People

When ambitious young record store manager Oli Lazarus initiated his Reel People project back in 2000 he could only have dreamt of where those first tentative steps would lead him. He immersed himself in soulful house sounds, gaining a passion for dance floor grooves. Lazurus decided his future lay in music production. Utilising the guidance and talents of renowned producers and instrumentalists, Oli set about creating the project's first release. "Spiritual", later remixed by Jon Cutler and Seiji (Bugz In The Attic), found favour with some of London's finest underground DJs, and proved to be a turning point for Lazarus. The record became the debut release on his own Papa Records imprint. Another single "Reeltime" soon followed and Reel People began to gain a reputation as a fresh new production outfit straddling the boundaries of house and broken beat.

During the course of auditioning musicians for studio sessions, Oli Lazarus came across the talents of Mike Patto, a gifted piano player who also expressed ability on both guitar and vocals. With many releases already to his credit, Patto brought an invaluable compositional element to the outfit. Working with Dyanna Fearon, a vocalist from the D-Influence stable, Reel People began to take shape as an actual band and not merely a studio-based outfit.

Performing "Can't Stop", "Butterflies" and "The Light" the band achieved their goals, dropping jaws across the whole audience, not least Simon Dunmore's at the Defected Record label. He recognised the multi-faceted talents of the ensemble immediately, and having his interest in their album renewed, he approached Reel People with the intentions of realising the full potential of "Second Guess". Reel People are once again set to take this marvelous album of unforgettable songs on the road, much to the delight of festival and club goers who have been craving their return. The band always set out to bring the house down.